Aqida Tahawiyya

الرحيم الرحمن الله بسمIn the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the

worlds.

TAHAWI'S STATEMENT OF ISLAMIC DOCTRINE (AL-`AQIDA AL-TAHAWIYYA)Imam Abu Ja`far al-Tahawi (239-321)

The great scholar Hujjat al-lslam Abu Ja'far al-Warraq al-Tahawi al-Misri, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

ةجح ةمالعال الق رفعج وبأ مالساإل– ياوحالط اقروال :الله همحر- رصمب

1. This is a presentation of the beliefs of Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama`a, according to the school of the jurists of this religion, Abu Hanifa al-Nu`man ibn Thabit al-Kufi, Abu Yusuf Ya`qub ibn Ibrahim al-Ansari and Abu `Abdullah Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani, may Allah be pleased with them all, and what they believe regarding the fundamentals of the religion and their faith in the Lord of the worlds.

ةيدقع انيب ركذ اذه ةاعمجالو ةنالس لهأ اءهقف بهذم ىلع ةيفنح يبأ :ةلمال تابث نب انمعالن فوسي يبأو ،يوفكال يماهربإ نب وبقعي

دبع يبأو ،يارصناأل نسحال نب دمحم الله الله انوضر يانبيالش

امو ،ينعمجأ مهيلع ولصأ نم وندقتعي

بر هب ونينديو ينالد.ينمالعال

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2. We say about Allah's unity believing by Allah's help that: Allah is One, without any partners.

الله يدحوت يف ولقن نإ الله يقفوتب يندقتعم

.هل يكرش ال داحو الله3. There is nothing like Him. .هلثم ءيش الو4. There is nothing that can overwhelm Him. .هزجعي ءيش الو5. There is no god other than Him. .هريغ هلإ الو6. He is the Eternal without a beginning and enduring without end. الب مائد ،اءدتاب الب يمدق

.اءهتان7. He will never perish or come to an end. .يدبي الو ىنفي ال8. Nothing happens except what He wills. .يدري ام الإ ونكي الو9. No imagination can conceive of Him .امهواأل هغلبت ال10. and no understanding can comprehend Him. .امهفاأل هكردت الو11. He is different from any created being. .امناأل هبشي الو12. He is living and never dies and ، وتمي ال يح13. He is eternally active and never sleeps. .امني ال وميق14. He creates without His being in need to do so ،ةاجح الب قالخ15. and provides for His creation without any effort. .ةنؤم الب قازر16. He causes death with no fear ، ةافخم الب يتمم17. And restores to life without difficulty. ةقشم الب ثاعب18. He has always existed together with His attributes since before creation. يم{ادق هاتفصب الز ام

، هقلخ لبق

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19. Bringing creation into existence did not add anything to His attributes that was not already there.

{ا،يش مهنوكب ددزي مل ئ نم مهلبق نكي مل

.هتفص20. As He was, together with His attributes, in pre-eternity, so He will remain throughout endless time.

{ا،يلزأ هاتفصب انك امكو اهيلع الزي ال كلذكا.{يدبأ

21. It was not only after the act of creation that He could be described as "the Creator" قلخال قلخ دعب سيل

" ،قالخال" ماس ادفتاس22. nor was it only by the act of origination that He could he described as "the Originator." ةيربال اثدحإب الو

".ياربال" ماس ادفتاس23. He was always the Lord even when there was nothing to be Lord of, الو ةيوببالر ىنعم هل

،وببرم24. and always the Creator even when there was no creation. الو قالخال ىنعمو

.وقلخم25. In the same way that He is the "Bringer to life of the dead," after He has brought them to life a first time, and deserves this name before bringing them to life, so too He deserves the name of "Creator" before He has created them.

ىتومال ييحم هنأ امكو اذه قحتاس ا،يحأ امدعب

،مهائيحإ لبق مساال ماس قحتاس كلذك.مهائشنإ لبق قالخال

26. This is because He has the power to do everything, ءيش لك ىلع هنأب كلذ

، يردق27. everything is dependent on Him, ، يرقف هيلإ ءيش لكو

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28. everything is easy for Him, ، يرسي هيلع رمأ لكو29. And He does not need anything. ، ءيش ىلإ اجتحي ال30. "There is nothing like Him and He is the Hearer, the Seer." (al-Shura 42:11) وهو شيء كمثله يس" ل

ميع " البصير الس31. He created creation with His knowledge. ، هملعب قلخال قلخ32. He appointed destinies for those He created. ادقأ مهل ردقو ، ار{33. He allotted to them fixed life spans. {اآج مهل برضو ال34. Nothing about them was hidden from Him before He created them, و ءيش هيلع فخي مل

، مهقلخي نأ لبق35. And He knew everything that they would do before He created them. ونلامع مه ام ملعو

مهقلخي نأ لبق36. He ordered them to obey Him and forbade them to disobey Him. ،هتاعطب مهرمأو

هتيصعم نع ماههنو37. Everything happens according to His degree and will, and His will is accomplished. يرجي ءيش لكو

هتيئشمو ، هيردقتب،ذفنت

38. The only will that people have is what He wills for them. What He wills for them occurs and what He does not will, does not occur.

ام الإ ادبعلل ةيئشم ال مهل اءش امف ،مهل اءش مل أشي مل امو ، انكنكي

39. He gives guidance to whomever He wills, and protects them, and keeps them safe from harm, out of His generosity;

مصعيو ،اءشي نم يدهي،{الضف يافعيو

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40. and He leads astray whomever He wills, and abases them, and afflicts them, out of His justice.

لذخيو اءشي نم لضيو{الدع يلتبيو

41. All of them are subject to His will either through His generosity or His justice. يف ونبلقتي مهلكو

هلضف نيب تهيئشمهلدعو

42. He is Exalted beyond having opposites or equals. اددضاأل نع العتم وهو

اددناألو43. No one can ward off His decree or delay His command or overpower His affairs. الو ،هائضقل ادر ال

الو ،همكحل بقعمهرمأل بالغ

44. We believe in all of this and are certain that everything comes from Him. نأ انقيأو ،هلك كلذب انآم

هدنع نم الك45. And we are certain that Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is His chosen Servant and elect Prophet and His Messenger with whom He is well pleased,

هدبع د{امحم نأو هيبنو ى،فطصمال هولسرو ى،بتجمال ، ىضترمال

46. And that he is the Seal of the Prophets and the Imam of the godfearing and the most honored of all the messengers and the Beloved of the Lord of all the worlds.

اممإو ،اءيبناأل ماتخ هنأو ديسو ،اءيقتاأل بر يببحو ينلسرالمينمالعال

47. Every claim to prophethood after Him is falsehood and deceit. بعده النبوة ىوعد لكو

وهوى فغي

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48. He is the one who has been sent to all the jinn and all mankind with truth and guidance and with light and illumination.

عامة إلى المبعوث وهو الورى وكافة الجن

وبالنور والهدى، بالحقوالضياء

49. The Qur'an is the word of Allah. .الله كالم القرآن وأن50. It came from Him as speech without it being possible to say how. ، كيفية بال بدأ منه قوال{51. He sent it down on His Messenger as revelation. رسوله على وأنزله

{ا .وحي52. The believers accept it, as absolute truth. على المؤمنون وصدقه

.حق{ا ذلك53. They are certain that it is, in truth, the word of Allah. الله كالم أنه وأيقنوا

.بالحقيقة تعالى54. It is not created as is the speech of human beings, ككالم بمخلوق ليس

.البرية55. And anyone who hears it and claims that it is human speech has become an unbeliever. أنه فزعم سمعه فمن

.كفر فقد البشر، كالم56. Allah warns him and censures him and threatens him with Fire when He says, Exalted is He: "I will burn him in the Fire." (al-Muddaththir 74:26)

وعابه الله ذمه وقد حيث بسقر، وأوعده

سأصليه" ىتعال قال(26: المدثر" ) سقر

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57. When Allah threatens with the Fire those who say "This is just human speech" (74:25) we know for certain that it is the speech of the Creator of mankind

بسقر الله أوعد فلما هذا إن: " قال لمن إال علمنا" البشر قول

خالق قول أنه وأيقنا.البشر

58. and that it is totally unlike the speech of mankind. .البشر قول يشبه وال59. Anyone who describes Allah as being in any way the same as a human being has become an unbeliever.

بمعنى الله وصف ومن فقد البشر، معاني من.كفر

60. All those who grasp this will take heed .اعتبر هذا أبصر فمن61. and refrain from saying things such as the unbelievers say, الكفار قول مثل وعن

.انزجر62. and they will know that He, in His attributes, is not like human beings. ليس بصفاته أنه وعلم

.كالبشر63. The Seeing of Allah by the People of the Garden is true, without their vision being all-encompassing and without the manner of their vision being known.

ألهل حق والرؤية وال إحاطة بغير الجنة،.كيفية

64. As the Book of our Lord has expressed it: "Faces on that Day radiant, looking at their Lord." (al-Qiyama 75:22-3)

ربنا كتاب به نطق كمااضرة يومئذ وجوه إلى ن

ها . ناظرة رب65. The explanation of this is as Allah knows and wills. أراده ما على وتفسيره

.وعلمه تعالى الله

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66. Everything that has come down to us about this from the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in authentic traditions, is as he said

ذلك يف جاء ما وكل الصحيح الحديث نم

الله صلى الرسول عن فهو وسلم وآله عليه.قال كما

67. And means what he intended. .أراد ما على ومعناه68. We do not delve into that, trying to interpret it according to our own opinions or letting our imaginations have free rein.

ذلك في ندخل ال وال بآرائنا، متأولين

. بأهوائنا متوهمين69. No one is safe in his religion unless he surrenders himself completely to Allah, the Exalted and Glorified and to His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,

دينه في سلم ما فإنه عز لله سلم من إال

صلى ولرسوله وجل.وسلم وآله عليه الله

70. and leaves the knowledge of things that are ambiguous to the one who knows them. عليه اشتبه ما علم ورد

.عالمه إلى71. A man's Islam is not secure unless it is based on submission and surrender. اإلسالم قدم تثبت وال

التسليم ظهر على إال.واالستسالم

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72. Anyone who desires to know things which it is beyond his capacity to know, and whose intellect is not content with surrender, will find that his desire veils him from a pure understanding of Allah's true unity, clear knowledge and correct belief,

حظر ما علم رام فمن يقنع ولم علمه، عنه

حجبه فهمه، بالتسليم خالص عن مرامه

وصافي التوحيد، وصحيح المعرفة،

.اإليمان73. and that he veers between disbelief and belief, confirmation and denial and acceptance and rejection.

الكفر بين فيتذبذب والتصديق واإليمان،

واإلقرار والتكذيب،.واإلنكار

74. He will he subject to whisperings and find himself confused and full of doubt, being neither an accepting believer nor a denying rejector.

ا {ا، تائه{ا، موسوس{ ال شاك{ا وال مصدق{ا، مؤمن{ا جاحد{ا .مكذب

75. Belief of a man in the seeing of Allah by the People of the Garden is not correct if he imagines what it is like or interprets it according to his own understanding,

بالرؤية اإليمان يصح وال لمن السالم دار ألهل

أو بوهم منهم اعتبرها.بفهم تأولها

76. Since the interpretation of this seeing or indeed, the meaning of any of the subtle phenomena which are in the realm of Lordship, is by avoiding its interpretation and strictly adhering to the submission.

الرؤية تأويل كان إذ يضاف معنى كل وتأويل

بترك الربوبية إلى.التسليم ولزوم التأويل

77. This is the religion of Muslims. .المسلمين دين وعليه

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78. Anyone who does not guard himself against negating the attributes of Allah, or likening Allah to something else, has gone astray and has failed to understand Allah's glory,

النفي يتوق لم ومن يصب ولم زل والتشبيه،

.التنـزيه79. Because our Lord, the Glorified and the Exalted, can only possibly be described in terms of oneness

وعال جل ربنا فإن بصفات موصوفالوحدانية

80. And absolute singularity and no creation is in any way like Him. بنعوت منعوت

في ليس .الفردانيةالبرية من أحد معناه

81. He is beyond having limits placed on Him, or being restricted, or having parts or limbs. الحدود عن وتعالى

واألركان والغايات،واألدوات واألعضاء

82. Nor is He contained by the six directions as all created things are. الست الجهات تحويه ال

المبتدعات كسائر83. Al-Mi`raj (the Ascent through the heavens) is true. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was taken by night

وقد حق، والمعراج الله صلى بالنبي أسري

وسلم وآله عليه84. and ascended in his bodily form, while awake, through the heavens, في بشخصه وعرج

السماء إلى اليقظة85. To whatever heights Allah willed for him. Allah ennobled him in the way that He ennobled him

الله شاء حيث إلى ثم الله وأكرمه .العال منشاء بما

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86. And revealed to him what He revealed to him, "and his heart was not mistaken about what it saw" (al-Najm 53:11).

"أوحى ما إليه وأوحى"رأى ما الفؤاد كذب ما

87. Allah blessed him and granted him peace in this world and the next وسلم عليه الله فصلى

واألولى اآلخرة في88. Al-Hawd, the Pool which Allah has granted the Prophet as an honour to quench the thirst of his Community on the Day of Judgement, is true.

أكرمه الذي والحوض{ا ، به تعالى الله غياث

حق ، ألمته89. Al-Shafa`a, the intercession which is stored up for Muslims, is true, as related in the hadiths.

ادخرها التي والشفاعة في روي كما حق، لهم

األخبار90. The covenant which Allah made with Adam and his offspring is true. أخذه الذي والميثاق

آدم من تعالى اللهحق وذريته

91. Allah knew, before the existence of time, the exact number of those who would enter the Garden and the exact number of those who would enter the Fire. This number will neither be increased nor decreased.

تعالى الله علم وقد من عدد يزل لم فيما

من وعدد الجنة، يدخل جملة النار يدخل

في يزداد فال واحدة، ينقص وال العدد، ذلكمنه

92. The same applies to all actions done by people, which are done exactly as Allah knew they would be done.

فيما أفعالهم وكذلكيفعلوه أن منهم علم

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93. Everyone is eased towards what he was created for له خلق لما ميسر وكل94. And it is the action with which a man's life is sealed which dictates his fate. بالخواتيم واألعمال95. Those who are fortunate are fortunate by the decree of Allah, and those who are wretched are wretched by the decree of Allah.

سعد من والسعيد والشقي الله، بقضاء

الله بقضاء شقي من96. The exact nature of the decree is Allah's secret in His creation, الله سر القدر وأصل

خلقه في تعالى97. And no angel near the Throne, nor Prophet sent with a message, has been given knowledge of it.

ملك ذلك على يطلع لممرسل نبي وال مقرب

98. Delving into it and reflecting too much about it only leads to destruction and loss, and results in rebelliousness.

في والنظر والتعمق الخذالن، ذريعة ذلك

ودرجة الحرمان، وسلمالطغيان

99. So be extremely careful about thinking and reflecting on this matter or letting doubts about it assail you,

من الحذر كل فالحذرا ذلك ا نظر{ وفكر{

ووسوسة100. Because Allah has kept knowledge of the decree away from human beings, طوى تعالى الله فإن

أنامه عن القدر علم101. And forbidden them to enquire about it, مرامه عن ونهاهم102. saying in His Book, "He is not asked about what He does, but they are asked" (al-Anbiya' 21: 23).

في تعالى قال كما عما يسأل ال" كتابه" يسألون وهم يفعل

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103. Therefore, anyone who asks: "Why did Allah do that?" has gone against a judgement of the Book,

؟فعل لم : سأل فمنالكتاب حكم رد فقد

104. and anyone who goes against a judgement of the Book is an unbeliever. الكتاب حكم رد ومن

الكافرين من كان105. This in sum is what those of Allah's Friends with enlightened hearts need to know إليه يحتاج ما جملة فهذا

من قلبه منور هو منتعالى الله أولياء

106. and constitutes the degree of those firmly endowed with knowledge. الراسخين درجة وهي

العلم في107. For there are two kinds of knowledge: knowledge which is accessible to created beings, and knowledge which is not accessible to created beings.

علم :علمان العلم ألن موجود، الخلق في

مفقود الخلق في وعلم108. Denying the knowledge which is accessible is disbelief, and claiming the knowledge which is inaccessible is disbelief.

الموجود العلم فإنكار العلم وادعاء كفر،

كفر المفقود109. Belief can only be firm when accessible knowledge is accepted and the inaccessible is not sought after.

إال اإليمان يثبت وال الموجود، العلم بقبول العلم طلب وترك

.المفقود110. We believe in al-Lawh (the Tablet) and al-Qalam (the Pen) and in everything written on the former.

والقلم باللوح ونؤمنرقم قد فيه ما وبجميع

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111. Even if all created beings were to gather together to make something fail to exist, whose existence Allah had written on the Tablet, they would not be able to do so.

كلهم الخلق اجتمع فلو الله كتبه شيء على

كائن، أنه فيه تعالى لم– كائن غير ليجعلوه .عليه يقدروا

112. And if all created beings were to gather together to make something exist which Allah had not written on it, they would not be able to do so.

على كلهم اجتمعوا ولو الله يكتبه لم شيء ليجعلوه فيه، تعالى{ا عليه يقدروا لم كائن

113. The Pen has dried having written down all that will be in existence until the Day of Judgement.Whatever a person has missed he would have never got, and whatever he gets he would have never missed.

كائن هو بما القلم جف وما القيامة، يوم إلى

يكن لم العبد أخطأ لم أصابه وما ليصيبه،

ليخطئه يكن114. It is necessary for the servant to know that Allah already knows everything that is going to happen in His creation.

أن يعلم أن العبد وعلى في علمه سبق قد اللهخلقه من كائن كل

115. and has decreed it in a detailed and decisive way. ا ذلك فقدر تقدير{

مبرم{ا محكم{ا

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116. There is nothing that He has created in either the heavens or the earth that can contradict it, or add to it, or erase it, or change it, or decrease it, or increase it in any way.

وال ناقض، فيه ليس وال مزيل، وال معقب، زائد وال ناقص وال مغير،

سماواته في خلقه منوأرضه

117. This is a fundamental aspect of belief and a necessary element of all knowledge اإليمان، عقد من وذلك

المعرفة وأصول118. and recognition of Allah's oneness and Lordship. الله بتوحيد واالعتراف

وربوبيته، تعالى119. As Allah says in His Book: "He created everything and decreed it in a detailed way." (al-Furqan 25: 2)

في تعالى قال كما شيء كل وخلق" بكتا

ا فقدره "تقدير{120. And He also says: "Allah's command is always a decided decree." (al-Ahzab 33: 38) أمر وكان" ىتعال وقال

ه ا الل امقدور{ قدر{121. So woe to anyone who argues with Allah concerning the decree لله صار لمن فويل

خصيم{ا القدر في تعالى122. and who, with a sick heart, starts delving into this matter. {ا فيه للنظر وأحضر قلب

سقيم{ا123. In his deluded attempt to investigate the Unseen, he is seeking a secret that can never be uncovered,

في بوهمه التمس لقدا الغيب فحص كتيم{ا سر{

124. and he ends up an evil-doer, telling nothing but lies. {ا فيه قال بما وعاد أفاك

أثيم{ا

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125. Al-`Arsh (the Throne) and al-Kursi (the Chair) are true. حق والكرسي والعرش126. He is independent of the Throne and that which is beneath it. عن مستغن وهو

دونه وما العرش127. He encompasses all things and that which is above it, شيء بكل محيط

وفوقه128. and what He has created is incapable of encompassing Him. اإلحاطة عن أعجز وقد

خلقه129. We say with belief, acceptance and submission that Allah took Ibrahim as an intimate friend and that He spoke directly to Musa.

اتخذ الله إن :ونقول، إبراهيم الله وكلم خليال{{ا تكليم{ا، موسى إيمان

وتسليم{ا وتصديق{ا130. We believe in the angels, and the Prophets, بالمالئكة ونؤمن

والنبيين131. and the books which were revealed to the messengers, على المنـزلة والكتب

المرسلين132. and we bear witness that they were all following the manifest Truth. على كانوا أنهم ونشهد

المبين الحق133. We call the people of our qibla Muslims and believers قبلتنا أهل ونسمي

مؤمنين مسلمين134. as long as they acknowledge what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought,

به جاء بما داموا ما عليه الله صلى النبي معترفين، وسلم

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135. and accept as true everything that he said and told us about. وأخبر قاله ما بكل وله

مصدقين136. We do not enter into vain talk about Allah nor do we allow any dispute about the religion of Allah.

وال الله، في نخوض والالله دين في نماري

137. We do not argue about the Qur'an and we bear witness that it is the speech of the Lord of all the Worlds

القرآن، في نجادل وال رب كالم أنه ونشهد

العالمين138. which the Trustworthy Spirit came down with and taught the most honoured of all the Messengers, Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

األمين، الروح به نـزل المرسلين سيد فعلمه عليه الله صلى محمد{اوسلم آله وعلى

139. It is the speech of Allah and no speech of any created being is comparable to it. ال تعالى الله كالم وهو

كالم من شيء يساويهالمخلوقين

140. We do not say that it was created and we do not go against the Congregation (jama`a) of the Muslims regarding it.

وال بخلقه، نقول وال جماعة نخالف

المسلمين141. We do not consider any of the people of our qibla to be unbelievers because of any wrong action they have done, as long as they do not consider that action to have been lawful.

أهل من أحد{ا نكفر وال لم ما بذنب، القبلة

يستحله142. Nor do we say that the wrong action of a man who has belief does not have a harmful effect on him.

مع يضر ال :نقول والعمله لمن ذنب اإليمان

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143. We hope that Allah will pardon the people of right action among the believers and grant them entrance into the Garden through His mercy, but we cannot be certain of this, and we cannot bear witness that it will definitely happen and that they will be in the Garden.

من للمحسنين ونرجو عنهم يعفو أن المؤمنين برحمته، الجنة ويدخلهم

وال عليهم، نأمن والبالجنة لهم نشهد

144. We ask forgiveness for the people of wrong action among the believers and, although we are afraid for them, we are not in despair about them.

لمسيئهم، ونستغفر وال عليهم، ونخافنقنطهم

145. Certainty and despair both remove one from the religion, ينقالن واإلياس واألمن

اإلسالم ملة عن146. but the path of truth for the People of the Qibla lies between the two. بينهما الحق وسبيل

القبلة ألهل147. A person does not step out or belief except by disavowing what brought him into it. من العبد يخرج وال

ما بجحود إال اإليمانفيه أدخله

148. Belief consists of affirmation by the tongue and acceptance by the heart. اإلقرار هو :واإليمان

والتصديق باللسان،بالجنان

149. And the whole of what is proven from the Prophet, upon him be peace, regarding the Shari`a and the explanation (of the Qur'an and of Islam) is true.

عن صح ما وجميع الله صلى الله رسول

وسلم آله وعلى عليه كله والبيان الشرع منحق

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150. Belief is, at base, the same for everyone, وأهله واحد واإليمان سواء، أصله في

151. but the superiority of some over others in it is due to their fear and awareness of Allah, their opposition to their desires, and their choosing what is more pleasing to Allah.

بينهم والتفاضل والتقى، بالخشية الهوى، ومخالفةاألولى ومالزمة

152. All the believers are Friends of Allah and the noblest of them in the sight of Allah are those who are the most obedient and who most closely follow the Qur'an.

أولياء كلهم والمؤمنون عند وأكرمهم الرحمن،

وأتبعهم أطوعهم اللهللقرآن

153. Belief consists of belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and belief that the Decree -- both the good of it and the evil of it, the sweet of it and the bitter or it -- is all from Allah.

اإليمان هو :واإليمان ورسله، ومالئكته، بالله،

:والقدر اآلخر، واليوم وحلوه وشره، خيره

تعالى الله من ومره،154. We believe in all these things. بذلك مؤمنون ونحن

كله155. We do not make any distinction between any of the messengers, we accept as true what all of them brought.

من أحد بين نفرق ال كلهم ونصدقهم رسله،

به جاءوا ما على

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156. Those of the Community of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who have committed grave sins will be in the Fire, but not forever,

أمة من الكبائر وأهل عليه الله صلى محمد في وسلم آله وعلى يخلدون، ال النار

157. provided they die and meet Allah as believers affirming His unity even if they have not repented.

موحدون وهم ماتوا إذا تائبين، يكونوا لم وإن الله لقوا أن بعد

"مؤمنين" عارفين158. They are subject to His will and judgement. مشيئته في وهم

وحكمه،159. If He wants, He will forgive them and pardon them out of His generosity, as is mentioned in the Qur'an when He says: "And He forgives anything less than that (shirk) to whomever He wills" (al-Nisa' 4: 116);

عفا لهم غفر شاء إن ذكر كما بفضله، عنهم

" كتابه في وجل عز لمن ذلك دون ما ويغفر" يشاء

160. if He wants, He will punish them in the Fire out of His justice, في عذبهم شاء وإن

بعدله النار161. and then bring them out of the Fire through His mercy, and for the intercession of those who were obedient to Him, and send them to the Garden.

منها يخرجهم ثم وشفاعة برحمته

أهل من الشافعين إلى يبعثهم ثم طاعته

جنته

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162. This is because Allah is the Protector of those who recognize Him تعالى الله بأن وذلك

معرفته، أهل تولى163. and will not treat them in the hereafter in the same way as He treats those who deny Him, who are bereft of His guidance and have failed to obtain His protection.

الدارين في يجعلهم ولم الذين نكرته، كأهل ولم هدايته، من خابواواليته من ينالوا

164. O Allah, You are the Protector of Islam and its people; make us firm in Islam until the day we meet You.

اإلسالم ولي يا اللهم على ثبتنا وأهله،

به نلقاك حتى اإلسالم165. We agree with doing the prayer behind any of the People of the Qibla whether rightful or wrongful, and doing the funeral prayer over any of them when they die.

كل خلف الصالة ونرى أهل من وفاجر بر¢

مات من وعلى القبلةمنهم

166. We do not say that any of them will categorically go to either the Garden or the Fire,

منهم أحد{ا ننـزل والا وال جنة نار{

167. and we do not accuse any of them of kufr, shirk, or nifaq, as long as they have not openly demonstrated any of those things.

بكفر عليهم نشهد وال ما بنفاق، وال بشرك وال شيء منهم يظهر لم

ذلك من168. We leave their secrets to Allah. الله إلى سرائرهم ونذر

تعالى

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169. We do not agree with killing any of the Community of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, unless it is obligatory by Shari`a to do so.

على السيف نرى وال محمد أمة من أحد

وعلى عليه الله صلى وجب من إال وسلم آله

السيف عليه170. We do not accept rebellion against our Imam or those in charge of our affairs even if they are unjust,

على الخروج نرى وال وإن أمورنا ووالة أئمتناجاروا

171. nor do we wish evil on them, nor do we withdraw from following them. وال ، عليهم ندعو وال

طاعتهم من يد{ا ننـزع172. We hold that obedience to them is part of obedience to Allah, the Glorified, and therefore obligatory as long as they do not order to commit sins.

من طاعتهم ونرى وجل عز الله طاعة

يأمروا لم ما فريضة، بمعصية

173. We pray for their right guidance and ask for pardon for their wrongs. بالصالح لهم وندعو

والمعافاة174. We follow the Sunna of the Prophet and the Congregation of the Muslims, and avoid deviation, differences and divisions.

والجماعة، السنة ونتبع الشذوذ ونجتنب

والفرقة والخالف175. We love the people of justice and trustworthiness, and hate the people of injustice and treachery.

العدل أهل ونحب أهل ونبغض واألمانة،

والخيانة الجور

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176. When our knowledge about something is unclear, we say: "Allah knows best." فيما أعلم، الله :ونقول

علمه علينا اشتبه177. We agree with wiping over leather socks (in ablution) whether on a journey or otherwise, just as has come in the hadiths.

على المسح ونرى السفر في الخفين،

في جاء كما والحضر،األثر

178. Hajj and jihad under the leadership of those in charge of the Muslims, whether they are right or wrong-acting, are continuing obligations until the Last Hour comes. Nothing can annul or controvert them.

ماضيان والجهاد والحج من األمر أولي مع

برهم :المسلمين قيام إلى وفاجرهم،

يبطلهما ال الساعة،ينقضهما وال شيء

179. We believe in the the noble angels who write down our actions, for Allah has appointed them over us as two guardians.

الكاتبين، بالكرام ونؤمن جعلهم قد الله فإن

حافظين علينا180. We believe in the Angel of Death who is in charge of taking the spirits of all the worlds. الموت، بملك ونؤمن

أرواح بقبض الموكلالعالمين

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181. We believe in the punishment in the grave for those who deserve it, and in the questioning in the grave by Munkar and Nakir about one's Lord, one's religion and one's prophet, as has come down in the hadiths from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and in reports from the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all.

كان لمن القبر وبعذاب، له منكر وسؤال أهال{

ربه عن قبره في ونكير ما على ونبيه، ودينه عن األخبار به جاءت الله صلى الله رسول

وسلم، آله وعلى عليه رضوان الصحابة وعنعليهم الله

182. The grave is either one of the meadows of the Garden or one of the pits of the Fire. رياض من روضة والقبر

من حفرة أو الجنة،النيران حفر

183. We believe in being brought back to life after death and in being recompensed for our actions on the Day of Judgement, and the exhibition of works, and the reckoning, and the reading of the book, and the reward or punishments, and the Bridge, and the Balance.

وجزاء بالبعث ونؤمن القيامة، يوم األعمال والحساب، والعرض الكتاب، وقراءة

والعقاب، والثوابوالميزان والصراط

184. The Garden and the Fire are created things that never come to an end مخلوقتان، والنار والجنة

تبيدان وال أبد{ا تفنيان الand that Allah created them before the rest of creation and then created people to inhabit each of them.

خلق تعالى الله وأن الخلق، قبل والنار الجنةأهال{ لهما وخلق

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185. Whoever He wills goes to the Garden out of His bounty and whoever He wills goes to the Fire through His justice.

إلى منهم شاء فمن ومن .منه فضال{ الجنة النار إلى منهم شاءمنه عدال{

186. Everybody acts in accordance with what is destined for him and goes towards what he has been created for.

فرغ قد لما يعمل وكل خلق ما إلى وصائر له،له

187. Good and evil have both been decreed for people. مقدران والشر والخير

العباد على188. The capability in terms of divine grace and favor which makes an action certain to occur cannot be ascribed to a created being. This capability is integral with action, whereas the capability of an action in terms of having the necessary health and ability, being in a position to act, and having the necessary means, exists in a person before the action. It is this type of capability which is the object of the dictates of the Shari`a. Allah the Exalted says: "Allah does not charge a person except according to his ability." (al-Baqara 2: 286)

يجب التي واالستطاعة نحو من الفعل، بها

يجوز ال الذي التوفيق به المخلوق يوصف أن

وأما الفعل، مع فهي– جهة من االستطاعة

والوسع، الصحة اآلالت وسالمة والتمكن

وبها الفعل، قبل فهي– وهو الخطاب، يتعلق

" ىتعال قال كما الف ه يكل ا الل نفس{ إال

وسعها

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189. People's actions are created by Allah but earned by people . الله، خلق العباد وأفعال

العباد من وكسب190. Allah, the Exalted, has only charged people with what they are able to do and people are only capable of doing what Allah has granted them to do.

تعالى الله يكلفهم ولم وال يطيقون ما إال

كلفهم ما إال يطيقون191. This is the explanation of the phrase: "There is no power and no strength except by Allah." We add to this that there is no stratagem or way by which anyone can avoid or escape disobedience to Allah except with Allah's help; nor does anyone have the strength to put obedience to Allah into practice and remain firm in it, except if Allah makes it possible for him to do so.

حول ال" :تفسير وهو . "بالله إال قوة وال

وال ألحد، حيلة ال :نقول تحول وال ألحد حركة إال الله معصية عن ألحد

قوة وال الله، بمعونة طاعة إقامة على ألحد إال عليها والثبات الله

الله بتوفيق192. Everything happens according to Allah's will, knowledge, predestination and decree. His will overpowers all other wills and His decree overpowers all stratagems.

يجري شيء وكل تعالى الله بمشيئة ، وقدره وقضائه وعلمه مشيئته غلبت

وغلب ، كلها المشيئاتكلها الحيل قضاؤه

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193. He does whatever He wills and He is never unjust. He is exalted in His purity above any evil or perdition and He is perfect far beyond any fault or flaw.

غير وهو يشاء ما يفعل عن تقدس أبد{ا، ظالم

وتنـزه وحين، سوء كلوشين عيب كل عن

194. "He will not be asked about what He does, but they will be asked." (al-Anbiya' 21: 23) يفعل عما يسأل ال"

"يسألون وهم195. There is benefit for dead people in the supplication and alms-giving of the living. األحياء دعاء وفي

منفعة وصدقاتهملألموات

196. Allah responds to people's supplications and gives them what they ask for. يستجيب تعالى والله

ويقضي الدعوات،الحاجات

197. Allah has absolute control over everything and nothing has any control over Him. وال شيء، كل ويملك

شيء يملكه198. Nothing can be independent of Allah even for the blinking of an eye, تعالى الله عن غنى وال

عين طرفة199. and whoever considers himself independent of Allah for the blinking of an eye is guilty of unbelief and becomes one of the people of perdition.

الله عن استغنى ومن كفر فقد عين، طرفةالحين أهل من وصار

200. Allah is angered and He is pleased but not in the same way as any creature. ال ويرضى، يغضب والله

الورى من كأحد

27

201. We love the Companions of the Messenger of Allah رسول أصحاب ونحب

عليه الله صلى اللهوسلم آله وعلى

202. but we do not go to excess in our love for any one individual among them; أحد حب في نفرط وال

منهم203. nor do we disown any one of them. منهم أحد من نتبرأ وال204. We hate anyone who hates them or does not speak well of them and we only speak well of them.

، يبغضهم من ونبغض ، يذكرهم الخير وبغير

بخير إال نذكرهم وال205. Love of them is a part of Islam, part of belief and part of excellent behavior, while hatred of them is unbelief, hypocrisy and rebellion.

وإيمان دين وحبهم كفر وبغضهم وإحسان،

وطغيان ونفاق

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206. We confirm that, after the death of Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, the caliphate went first to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, thus proving his excellence and superiority over the rest of the Muslims; then to `Umar ibn al-Khattab; then to `Uthman; and then to `Ali ibn Abi Talib; may Allah be well pleased with all of them. These are the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and upright leaders.

بعد الخالفة ونثبت الله صلى الله رسول

:وسلم آله وعلى عليه الصديق بكر ألبي أوال{

تفضيال{ عنه، الله رضي جميع على وتقديم{ا له

بن لعمر ثم األمة، الله رضي الخطاب

رضي لعثمان ثم عنه، بن لعلي ثم عنه، الله الله رضي طالب أبي الخلفاء وهم ، عنه

واألئمة الراشدون.المهتدون

207a. We bear witness that the ten who were named by the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and who were promised the Garden by him, will be in the Garden, as the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, whose word is truth, bore witness that they would be.

الذين العشرة وأن الله رسول سماهم

وعلى عليه الله صلى وبشرهم وسلم آله

شهد ما على بالجنة، صلى الله رسول لهم آله وعلى عليه الله

الحق، وقوله وسلم،

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207b. The ten are: Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, `Ali, Talha, Zubayr, Sa`d, Sa`id, `Abd al-Rahman ibn `Awf, and Abu `Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah whose title was the Trustee of this Community, may Allah be pleased with all of them.

وعمر، ، بكر أبو : وهم وعلي، وعثمان، وسعد، والزبير، وطلحة، الرحمن وعبد وسعيد،

عبيدة وأبو عوف، بن أمين وهو الجراح بن

الله رضي األمة، هذهأجمعين عنهم

208. Anyone who speaks well of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his wives and offspring, who are all pure and untainted by any impurity, is free from the accusation of hypocrisy.

في القول أحسن ومن الله رسول أصحاب

وعلى عليه الله صلى وأزواجه وسلم، آله

كل من الطاهرات وذرياته دنس،

كل من المقدسين من برئ فقد رجس؛النفاق

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209. The learned men of the Predecessors, both the first community and those who immediately followed: the people of virtue, the narrators of hadith, the jurists, and the analysts-- they must only be spoken of in the best way, and anyone who says anything bad about them is not on the right path.

من السلف وعلماء بعدهم ومن السابقين،

الخير أهل– التابعين من الفقه وأهل واألثر، إال يذكرون ال- والنظر

ذكرهم ومن بالجميل، غير على فهو بسوء

السبيل210. We do not prefer any of the saintly men among the Community over any of the Prophets but rather we say that any one of the Prophets is better than all the awliya' put together.

من أحد{ا نفضل وال من أحد على األولياء السالم، عليهم األنبياء أفضل واحد نبي :ونقول

األولياء جميع من211. We believe in what we know of the karamat or marvels of the awliya' and in the authentic stories about them from trustworthy sources.

من جاء بما ونؤمن عن وصح كراماتهم،

رواياتهم من الثقات212. We believe in the signs of the Hour such as the appearance of the Antichrist (dajjal)

بأشراط ونؤمن خروج من :الساعةالدجال

213. and the descent of `Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him, from heaven,

مريم ابن عيسى ونزول من السالم عليه

السماء

31

214. and we believe in the rising of the sun from where it sets

الشمس بطلوع ونؤمنمغربها من

215. and in the emergence of the Beast from the earth.

من األرض دابة وخروجموضعها

216. We do not accept as true what soothsayers and fortune-tellers say,

{ا نصدق وال وال كاهنعراف{ا

217. nor do we accept the claims of those who affirm anything which goes against the Book, the Sunna, and the consensus of the Muslim Community (umma).

{ا يدعي من وال شيئ والسنة الكتاب يخالفاألمة وإجماع

218. We agree that holding together is the true and right path and that separation is deviation and torment.

حق{ا الجماعة ونرى{ا، زيغ{ا والفرقة وصواب{ا وعذاب

219. There is only one religion of Allah in the heavens and the earth and that is the religion of Islam ("submission").

األرض في الله ودين دين وهو واحد، والسماءاإلسالم

220. Allah says: "Surely religion in the sight of Allah is Islam." (Al `Imran 3: 19) And He also says: "I am pleased with Islam as a religion for you." (al-Ma'ida 5: 3)

إن تعالى الله قاله عند الدين اإلسالم الل ورضيت ىتعال وقال{ا اإلسالم لكم دين

221. Islam lies between going to excess and falling short,

والتقصير الغلو بين وهو

222. between the likening of Allah's attributes to creation (tashbih) and divesting Allah of attributes (ta`til),

والتعطيل التشبيه وبين

32

223. between determinism and freewill, والقدر الجبر وبين224. and between sureness and despair. واإلياس األمن وبين225. This is our religion and it is what we believe in, both inwardly and outwardly, and we renounce any connection, before Allah, with anyone who goes against what we have said and made clear.

{ا فهذا {ا دينن واعتقادنا {ا ظاهر{ ونحن .وباطن

كل من الله إلى براء ذكرناه الذي خالف من

.وبيناه226. We ask Allah to make us firm in our belief and seal our lives with it

أن تعالى الله ونسأل اإليمان، على يثبتنا

به لنا ويختم227. and to protect us from variant ideas, scattering opinions

األهواء من ويعصمنا واآلراء المختلفة،المتفرقة

228. and evil schools of view such as those of the Mushabbiha, the Mu`tazila, the Jahmiyya, the Jabriyya, the Qadariyya, and others like them

مثل ، الردية والمذاهب والمعتزلة، ، المشبهة ، والجبرية ، والجهميةوغيرهم، والقدرية

229. who go against the Sunna and Jama`a and have allied themselves with error.

السنة خالفوا الذين من وحالفوا والجماعة،

الضاللة

33

230. We renounce any connection with them and in our opinion they are in error and on the path of destruction. We ask Allah to protect us from all falsehood and we ask His Grace and Favour to do all good.

وهم ، براء منهم ونحن .وأردياء ضالل عندناوالتوفيق العصمة وبالله

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